Turn Style: Earth Day In California the Beautiful

A park in Santa Rosa, CA

Post and All Photos By: Jeff McKown

Nothing inspires and stirs us like the majesty of the wilderness. 

The spectacular and vast: canyons, forests, prairies, oceans, mountaintops. 

The simple and profound: waves lapping at the shore, a gathering of deer on a hillside, the petals of a single flower.

When we stumble on a breathtaking hillside or gaze into a clear starlit night sky, when we look up from our work long enough to see a hummingbird outside our window, anytime nature captures us in that frozen moment of stunned reverie, we strengthen our connection to the universe and to each other.

Whatever the scenery in your tiny corner of the universe, take a moment to go outside. Close your eyes and breathe deep. Tilt your head back - taste a snowflake, feel the raindrops on your forehead, let the sun warm your cheeks.

It doesn't matter what you find outside your door. We'll all sleep beneath the same big moon tonight.

Happy Earth Day.



Here are some of my favorite places in nature. I took these photos in the last two years at locations all within a 2-3 hour drive from my home in northern California.

Big Sur

Eaton Park Trail

Muir Woods and Muir Woods Beach Overlook

San Gregorio, Half Moon Bay, Marin Headlands

Monterey Bay and Ocean Beach/San Francisco

What Would You Take?

Salma (name changed) fled Syria with the ring her mother
gave her on her death bed more than 80 years ago.

Posted By: Jeff McKown

In March 2011 the Syrian people began to gather and demand the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad, whose family has ruled their country for forty years. After the government responded to the protests by open firing on demonstrators, the uprising grew into a full-fledged civil war.

In the two years since, more than 70,000 people have lost their lives in the civil war, and more than one million Syrians have sought refuge in other countries.

Imagine that tomorrow you were forced to flee your home. You can take almost nothing with you. What would you take?

Photographer Brian Sokol posed that question to refugees from Syria, Sudan, and other troubled spots around the globe. Some of the profound images his question generated are shown below.

Alia (name changed), fled Daraa, Syria with her wheelchair.
Image: Brian Sokol 

May (name changed), fled Damascus, Syria with her bracelets.
Image: Brian Sokol

Ahmed (name changed), fled Syria with his cane.
Image: Brian Sokol

Ahmed Sadik, fled his village in Sudan with his pet monkey.
Image: Brian Sokol

You can see Brian Sokol's complete (and stunning) photo essay here.